This invention relates generally to measurement devices, and, more specifically, to optical spectrometers.
Various commercial products are manufactured from plastic. In one example, plastic is used for countertops which are offered in various solid colors or patterns. Enduran (trademark) plastic is commercially available from the General Electric Company in various color patterns commonly having natural stone appearance features. For example, this plastic may have varying color for emulating natural stones such as granite or marble.
Plastic countertops used in kitchens should have sufficient strength to resist damage over a suitable life. One type of damage includes a coined line which is a physical indentation in the surface of the countertop typically formed by a sharp edge pressed along the countertop surface. A simple coined line is merely an indentation in the surface without otherwise affecting the surface pattern or color. In a worst case, a coined line becomes a physical scratch in the surface which removes a portion of the pattern or color from the underlying material.
It is therefore desirable to formulate kitchen countertops with maximum coinability resistance so that they may be used over many years without undesirable degradation in appearance. During the manufacturing process, the composition of the countertop plastic may be varied for various reasons including achieving high coinability resistance. Sample countertops may be manufactured and tested to intentionally produce a coined line therein which may then be analyzed. Presently, coined lines are merely visually observed without quantitative evaluation.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an analyzer for detecting and quantifying the extent of a coined line in a plastic product.